Personal Statement
Teaching has been my personal passion ever since doing my work experience where I got the precious chance to work with teachers and see first-hand their enthusiasm for excellence no matter how unlikely the student is to succeed. Although I’m doing a degree in accounting I regularly help out children in my neighbourhood with their homework and have also observed lessons in a local high school this has further cemented my desire to become a teacher I have spoken to practicing teachers which have debunked a few prior myths I had about teaching. I did this in a local private school, I was asked to observe and assist the year 11 students as they finished their ICT coursework. It was a very stressful environment as many of the students were behind with the deadline approaching, nonetheless I felt I really connected with the students and feel I made a real difference to their final grade. Some of the teachers there pointed out to me that several of the students had done much better this year than they had done in the last and in previous years. This Vital piece of experience was one of my main reasons for wanting to teach in a secondary rather than a primary school.
I’m a native German speaker and have visited Germany after moving to England with my family for employment reasons, I can relate to secondary students learning a second language as I myself came to England at the age of 11 (2004) and learnt a new language from scratch. Apart from German I
I have always known that I wanted to make a difference in society by becoming a teacher, due to my love of children and helping people understand various topics. I have worked with children by babysitting, instructing karate, leading children’s Sunday school, and working at a summer camp. By doing these activities I have established bonds with diverse groups of children, but at the same time, I kept a professional and respectable boundary. I have successfully worked inside a planning department alongside people of all ages and personalities in planning activities and lessons for kids.
Through completing this activity, I learned more than I have with any other activity I have done thus far while earning my Education Specialist degree. I had to observe a teacher and provide constructive feedback using the Framework for Teaching. This observation included a pre-conference where the teacher told me what she wanted me to pay particular attention to. It required that I observe in real-time, rather than simply using a video where I can pause frequently. I then had to analyze the data I collected during the observation, in order to determine strengths and areas for improvement that I shared during the post-conference. The teacher was a master teacher and thought the lesson went very well. She was shocked when I had some ideas for how to improve her instruction. I mentioned that students seemed fidgety, and she could incorporate more cooperative structures to get students more active in their learning. I also thought she needed cooperative roles for students when they completed their group work, that way everyone was accountable for the work.
Teaching was very natural for me. I felt comfortable and confident working in all my classrooms. I was fortunate to have the support from all supervising teachers and they provided me guidance and knowledge as I continued to grow in the classroom. I couldn’t wait to go to college so I could focus on teaching every day and officially start my journey as a future
I am looking to join Teach For America because I am interested in exploring a possible career in education but also in giving back to my community in a significant way. As a recent graduate, exploring opportunities that help me decided the best possible career choice is a priority. Teach For America provides hands on approach for me to really understand what is required to be successful. I look forward to meeting the high expectations that TFA has. As the first in my family to graduate from college, I understand some of the various obstacles that are present in our current educational system. But I have also been fortunate enough to benefit from the work of those looking to make education more accessible to everybody. I am inspired by the positive
My decision to be a teacher did not come easily to me. This choice was dependent on a reflection about what I was passionate about and how I could make a difference. I have chosen to become a teacher, as I believe teachers have the ability to provide future generations the stimulation for one of the most significant roles in life; to become a lifelong learner. Many teachers that I have had during my education have had a positive impact on my decision to grow and develop the skills that are fundamental to pursue a successful teaching career. My aim is to be a part of an honorable profession with the optimism that one day I will become an efficacious teacher who can provide future teachers with inspiration, as my teachers have provided for me. Through personal educational experiences and peer-reviewed academic literature, I am able to shape my approach to my pre-service teaching, as it will influence my future practice. As a teacher, there is not just one singular approach to educating students; there is a need for flexibility, diversity, adaptation and reflection.
Teach For America has a huge impact on low-income communities' education. This is one very important reason that I would love to become a part of this organization. I want to be a part of a group that creates a lasting impact on children's education by giving them the resources necessary to succeed. With the proper education, I believe that students can reach their highest potential. When students are reaching their fullest potential, gaps in education can begin to close and we can begin to have equal education for all children. This is something I want to help accomplish with Teach For America. Another reason I am seeking to join Teach For America is because, it will give me the opportunity to better train and prepare myself, as an educator,
I am drawn to primary teaching from my own experiences as a pupil. Throughout my education I have been inspired, guided and challenged on a daily basis. It is this role model I now aspire to become by preparing pupils for all areas of life in a positive, creative and engaging style. I am currently studying for a PGCE with one of the largest providers of teacher training in Essex. This intensive course is delivering up to date training in all areas of primary education and has become the basis of my teaching practice.
In my 24 years of experience employed with the Department of Education I have found that working with children watching as they grow is inspiring as much as it is rewarding. Teaching helps one to sharpen their skills on all levels for the curriculum is forever changing. Being an educator has its challenging moments but its something I want to accomplish. To be successful at educating others I must continue to grow, increase and improve within.
I learned quickly that being an effective teacher is an art that takes time and devotion. Many times, teachers are not provided with the necessary materials in order to maintain the various learning styles in a classroom. It is up to the teacher to create an environment where students can succeed. This is a full time job, meaning that a teacher’s work is not done once they leave the school. A teacher must contribute a significant amount of time and effort in order to see positive results in the school and in his or her own classroom. After observing my cooperating teacher’s strategies and learning more about the profession, I knew that I was going in the right direction with my life. I took a significant amount of knowledge away from this experience and have continued to strive to be the type of educator that I was blessed to work with during this experience. .
Currently I'm helping out at a local primary school, which has allowed me to see new side to teaching that I didn't know existed. I was asked to prepare an activity that involved teaching different skills in one task. I had to think out the box and came up with making paper mache doughnuts, it was a fun, messy but ultimately it taught the children to think innovatively for themselves, it brought out their creative skills, taught them about 3D dimensions, colours and shapes. To think something as easy as paper mache could give these children a variety of knowledge in one task, is unbelievable. It makes me look at life in another light, to see if has a double learning opportunity. It is the simple things, like talk time in class that are highly important as the children are not only learning from the teacher, but they absorb information from others and build on that knowledge to feel confident enough to share their thoughts, it's absolutely fascinating to see how a child's mind works and what they can contribute to the class, without them realising they are actually learning.
I have particularly taken pleasure in assisting with ICT and I have enjoyed encouraging the children to stay focused and witnessing their delight when they have a finished product. I have also been able to see interdisciplinary learning in practice as used their new ICT skills to make healthy eating posters and they also designed robots on the computer and then typed their own stories to accompany these designs. I have also been able to work with pupils who are at a lower level than the rest of the class and I have seen what challenges this brings to the class teacher, for example ensuring different resources are available to them and also rewarding them when they overcome their own
Knowledge is a very powerful thing, and to be able to deliver this to today’s youth has been a dream of mine for a long time. There are many advantages to teaching. I feel that is a very fulfilling profession. I have seen my sister in the classroom, and it greatly inspired me to want to make a difference in some ones life. Through watching my sister in action I was inspired to follow in her footsteps.
Children are with teachers the majority of the day. Children are influenced by what they see and why they are around. Not only are they teaching them academics, but also manners, sportsmanship, and self worth. These are important factors that children need in everyday life. This is why a teacher’s job is so important. Most would say that teaching would be a hard job. But, I feel that it will be easy if you win your students over. I know that the rewards in the end will out weigh the cost. Watching a student master a new task is the reward I am after.
Teaching is something that I thought I would do later on in life, when I am an old man and had all of these life experiences. That was my thinking anyway. So, I did that and they asked me to teach lower school P.E. with the little kids. I had a degree in history and they had already had this position filled, so I was working part time here and part time there and then gradually the position opened up here. I started two classes in history and government and now I have all of the history. I kind of worked my way form part time at the very bottom, all the way up to the top, if you want to call it that here. It’s a small pyramid.
This past semesters has been an eye opening experience that has changed my views on teacher. Ever since I was little, I have always wanted to be a fourth grade teacher. However after being placed in a second grade classroom my views have changed. I liked the idea of teaching fourth grade because my fourth grade teacher was my inspiration in life. When I was in Ms. Petro’s class I enjoyed being able to watch the students progress over time. Being able to see the drastic improvements in little children is very rewarding and that is why I want to continue to teach lower grades. I have learned that being a teacher requires a special someone, a person who knows that sometimes you will have to deal with tough situations leaving you exhausted and feeling like you are not able to help more. But at the same time, being a teacher allows one to be a visionary for the world and those who surround you.